Comvita, which produces health products derived from manuka honey, has entered into a joint venture with East Taupo Lands Trust to harvest manuka honey, securing the supply of its main ingredient. The joint venture Kaimanawa Honey GP will initially start with 3,000 hives to harvest manuka honey on Ngati Tūwharetoa trust’s land holdings, the Te Puke-based company said in a statement. Comvita will provide the beekeeping equipment and …

Anzco chairman Sir Graeme Harrison – who also leads the NZ International Business Forum – has pledged business support for a “fighting fund” to promote free trade. The Harrison pledge was made a a breakfast with Prime Minister John Key in Beijing earlier today. It appeared to be in response to the anti- TPP protests which have dominated NZ headlines …

New Zealand shares rose to a fresh record, paced by Spark New Zealand, Fletcher Building and Contact Energy, as investors continued to be drawn to equities for higher yields. Xero climbed to a month-high, as risk appetite returned to the market. The NZX 50 Index rose 51.349 points, or 0.9 percent, to 5470.339. Within the index, 23 stocks rose, 18 …